CUTTACK: The Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS), in association with the district administration, is set to attempt a world record at Balijatra 2025 with a spectacular display of 20,000 handcrafted sal leaf boats on Kartika Purnima on Wednesday.
Crafted by 160 members from 60 self-help groups under ORMAS’ sal leaf cluster in Thakurmunda block of Mayurbhanj district, the eco-friendly boats will be set afloat in the Mahanadi on Wednesday afternoon. Remarkably, the artisans completed the entire consignment in just three days.
Each boat, made from sal leaves, will carry an earthen lamp sourced from ORMAS’ terracotta cluster, with wicks provided by the wick-making cluster in Cuttack district, illuminating the river in a vibrant tribute to the state’s rich artisan heritage and its commitment to sustainable practices, joint CEO of ORMAS Cuttack, Bipin Rout said.
In a parallel green initiative, ORMAS is also reviving its long-standing effort to promote leaf cup and plate production and use at the national-level Pallishree Mela 2025. Between 2001 and 2010, ORMAS had implemented similar initiatives across 10 districts of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Khurda, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Sundargarh, and Balangir, providing capacity-building and institutional support to around 25,000 rural artisans.
Rout said, “Building on this foundation, ORMAS Cuttack has now mandated that all food stalls at the Pallishree Mela exclusively use leaf cups and plates, completely eliminating single-use plastic and thermocol from the venue.” Pabitri Foundation is coordinating the supply and distribution of these eco-friendly dining items across the fairground, a measure expected to prevent thousands of kilograms of plastic waste during Balijatra while ensuring sustained income for artisan clusters.
Adding to the grandeur, internationally-acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a magnificent boat sculpture near the Boat Gate of the lower Balijatra ground. Measuring 50 feet in length and 30 feet in width, the artwork has been crafted using 12,000 areca nuts, 500 coconuts and 1,100 diyas.
